Stories of Hope and Healing

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Can I tell you a story? Do you have a few minutes to hear about some amazing things that are happening to release girls from abuse and exploitation?

While in Bangladesh and India last month I had opportunity to see the work of SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets project.

I’m amazed at what’s being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Young women who have been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.

Please take the time to click the play button on the audio player below to hear an interview where I explain some of the journey. The interview was recorded just before I returned to Australia and it’ll give you a much better idea of what can be done to create a brighter tomorrow for girls who have experienced a devastating past.



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Telling an Extraordinary Story

India

If you’ve dropped in here over the past couple of months I’m sure you know that I took a trip last month to Bangladesh and India to see the excellent work being done through SIMaid’s Girls off the Streets.

I’m amazed at the work that is being done to bring hope and healing to young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Young women who have been sexually exploited and sold into prostitution are now growing in confidence as they learn to trust again and develop life skills that will give them a strong foundation for life ahead. Girls off the Streets is giving them a future and importantly, letting them know that they are truly loved.

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.

If you live in the Perth area I want to let you know that I’ll be talking about the trip and sharing some insights this Sunday morning at Southern River Church of Christ. We meet at Thornlie Christian College, Furley Road, Southern River at 10:30. It’d be great if you could make it and I’d love to share a coffee with you after the service.

If you can’t make it but you’re part of a church or other group around Perth, and you’d like to hear more, I’m looking for more places to speak up for young girls who can’t. Get in touch with me via my Contact Page so that we can arrange a time and date.



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More about Girls off the Streets

As I’ve mentioned before in my post Girls off the Streets, I’m getting ready to head to Bangladesh and India to see the work that SIMaid is doing to rehabilitate girls who have been rescued from forced prostitution.

Please take five minutes to watch this video where the project is explained and I talk about my reasons for being part of the trip.



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Raising Hope

Over the coming months I’ll be part of three very different projects. Each project aims to bring hope to different people in very different circumstances.

I need to be completely upfront and say that I need your support to make each of these projects worthwhile. Yes, I’m raising funds but the funds that are raised will help to spread hope into places where it’s desperately needed. Please indulge me long enough to read about each project and then take action in supporting one or more of them.

Whatever you can afford to contribute will help in changing lives.

Morning Cafe Cancer Ride 2012

From the 13th to the 20th of October I’ll once again be taking part in the Morning Cafe Cancer Ride for Cancer Council Western Australia. I’ll be cycling over 500 kilometres from Albany to Perth. The ride follows the success of rides held over the last few years. This will be our fourth ride highlighting the cancer journey of a number of people and raising money to fight cancer. If you’re in Australia your donation is tax deductible. Even if you’re not, the work that Cancer Council WA is doing is making a difference throughout the world through some highly regarded research projects. Just head to the webpage and click donate. My aim is to raise $1000 for Cancer Council WA.

Girls Off the Streets

In December I’ll be traveling to Bangladesh and India to learn more about the Girls Off the Streets initiative through SIMaid. In Bangladesh there are approximately 500 000 children living on the streets due to poverty or abuse. Many girls who live on the streets are sexually exploited. The Indian Government states there are 2.8 million people prostituted in India, but human rights groups claim it is more like 15 million. 200 girls are entering into the sex trade every day with 80% of them doing so against their own free will. I’ll be traveling to both countries with SIMaid to witness the work they do to stop trafficking and sex slavery while transforming the lives of young girls rescued. My role will be as a storyteller, communicating the need online, on radio and to churches back here in Australia. I need to raise money for my travel costs (around $2500 – $3000) and if you’d like to contribute please email me via my Contact Page so that I can let you know where to direct your money.

Great Ocean Road Challenge 2013

In February I’ll be taking part in the Great Ocean Road Challenge for the second time, cycling around 300 kilometres to raise much needed funds for Compassion. Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do more to help. That’s why I’ll be riding 290 kilometres in three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate a set amount. My goal for this ride is to raise $2500.

I’ll write more about each project over the next few months but my strong desire is that one or more of these projects will capture your heart and imagination and you’ll help me in raising hope for others.



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Through Their Eyes

throughtheireyes.jpgAndrew Frazer is a full time volunteer staff member at Youth With A Mission, Perth.

I spoke to him last when he’d just returned from a two week documentary trip through Thailand. The focus for the trip was to highlight the horrific practice of Child Trafficking and the circumstances that allow such an industry to exist.

Since then he’s travelled to India and Nepal.

Andrew joined me a couple of days ago on The Morning Programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM to talk about a new exhibition titled Through Their Eyes.

Thousands of children continue to be bought and sold across our world. Some are forced into child labour, some are used as child soldiers and many are sold into the sex trade. It’s a horrific situation that makes millions of dollars for those who trade children while many thousands of lives are destroyed.

The Through Their Eyes exhibition will be held at the Moores Building, Henry Street, Fremantle from the 2nd to the 10th February. There’ll also be an official opening from 6:30 tomorrow evening.

The photographic display highlights the increasing problem of child-trafficking in South Asia.

All sales or donations will go directly towards protecting children at risk in South Asia.

Hear our conversation using the media player below.



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